I have not heard of a baby being allergic to its mother's milk. I have
heard of breastmilk colitis. This is a reaction to a protein in the
mother's milk, ..can be from dairy products. I would calmly discuss this
with the physician, in a respectful and polite tone, opening up a
professional discussion. Share this with them, if it is useful, and know
that this baby, if it has blood in its stool, does need medical assessment
to rule out other causes of this that could be serious. Most professionals
can discuss things if they feel that their opinions are respected and count
in the first place...so tact is key.

I can give you some information from Dr. Ruth Lawrence's book
Breastfeeding: A Guide for the Medical Profession, 1999: pp. 471

" Severe colitis in a totally breastfed infant, usually with onset in the
neonatal period, suggests an intrinsic metabolic disorder in the infant or
an exquisite intolerance to something in mother's milk, such as cow's milk
protein.   Six infants with protein-induced enterocolitis presenting in the
first month of life with severe bloody diarrhea responded to weaning and
use of hydrolyzed protein formula. Other cases have been reported requiring
long periods of hyperalimentation and utilization of special formulas such
as Nutramigen.  Induced colitis in infants is usually caused by some
dietary insult, such as exposure to cow's milk. It has been reported in
breastfed infants, most of whom responded to removal of cow's milk from the
maternal diet.  Several had been given formula at birth. The symptoms
included bloody diarrhea, and signoidoscopy revealed focal ulcerations,
edema, and increased friability of the intestinal mucosa.  On relief of
symptoms by dietary change, the intestinal tract biopsy returns to normal.
A prospective study examined 35 consecutive infants who had fresh blood
mixed with stools at approximately 4 weeks of age. All infants were
otherwise asymptomatic and had no infection, bleeding diathesis, or NEC.
(Necrotising Enterocolitis). Thirty one had histopathologic evidence of
colitis  characterized by marked eosinophilic infiltrate (more than
20/highpower field) compared with controls and low mean serum albumin.  Ten
of these 31 were exclusively breastfed, nine were fed cow's milk formula,
nine soy formula, two mixed breast milk and formula, and one Nutramigen.
The low serum albumin and high peripheral eosinophil count suggested the
diagnosis of allergic colitis. All cases cleared with dietary change.  The
breastfed infants were weaned and not managed by dietary adjustment in the
mother. Protein-induced colitis can follow a benign course with proper
treatment. Israel et al studied 13 infants with blood from the rectum,
negative stool cultures, and colonoscopic and histologic evidence of
colitis. The infants were all less than 3.5 months of age, and six were
breastfed and five had been supplemented. All were gaining weight well. The
mothers of the breastfed infants restricted cow's milk in their diet, and
the infants were exclusively breastfed. All recovered.

Harmon et al described a case of perforated pseudomembranous colitis in a
breastfed infant. Other cases have been associated with giving antibiotics
to the infant. The infant's stool was Clostridium difficile toxin positive,
and the child required bowel resection for abscess and perforation. The
mother had taken ciprofloxacin without consulting a physician for days
before the infant's admission.

The Lactation Study Center has been notified of other cases of bloody
diarrhea with a diagnosis of colitis that did appear to respond to maternal
dietary restrictions. One infant showed brief improvement when all cow's
milk products were removed from the mother's diet and then had a
relapse.  Removing all bovine (both meat and milk) products from the
maternal diet resulted in recovery without relapse with exclusive
breastfeeding. In retrospect the mother recalled switching from a
vegetarian diet to high meat, especially beef, intake throughout pregnancy."


Kathleen B. Bruce, BSN, IBCLC co-owner Lactnet, Indep. Consultant
mailto:[log in to unmask]
http://homepages.together.net/~kbruce/kbblact.html
LACTNET Archives http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/lactnet.html

             ***********************************************
The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(TM)
mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html